Antenna modules are used in the field of automotive technology to provide a motor vehicle roof antenna. The antenna modules typically have a chassis at whose upper side one or more antennas are arranged and which is fastened to an opening in the vehicle roof. The antenna modules are typically suitable for operation in the mobile communications sector and/or for the reception of radio programs. Reception systems for determining the position of an automobile, in particular GPS receivers, and/or receivers for a radio key system of the vehicle, can furthermore be accommodated in such an antenna module.
Different technologies are used for installing the antenna module at the opening of the vehicle roof. An antenna module is thus known from DE 10 2011 016 294 A1 in which the chassis of the antenna module is arranged at the outside of the vehicle roof and is screwed to it. An antenna module whose chassis is arranged at the outside on the vehicle roof is likewise known from DE 10 2006 050 406 A1. The fastening then takes place via a counter-element which is screwed to the chassis from the passenger compartment of the vehicle through the opening of the vehicle roof so that the margin of the vehicle roof is clamped between the chassis and the counter-element.
An antenna module which can be inserted into the opening of the vehicle roof from the passenger compartment is furthermore known from DE 10 2012 208 303 A1. In this respect, the antenna module has a horizontal groove at one side which is pushed onto a rim of the opening and has latch elements which allow a pre-latching of the antenna module at the opening. The final fastening then takes place by screwing to the vehicle roof.
An antenna module is furthermore known which is placed on the opening of the vehicle roof from the outside and which has sheet metal hooks which are pushed through the opening in the vehicle roof and allow a pre-latching of the antenna module. The sheet metal hooks can in this respect be pulled into the chassis of the antenna module via a screw which can be actuated from the passenger compartment of the vehicle. The latching edges of the sheet metal hooks are drawn toward the panel of the vehicle roof by actuating the screw and cut into said panel so that a secure connection is likewise produced.
However, some disadvantages remain in the known systems for installing the antenna module at the vehicle roof. The systems have the disadvantage, for example, that they do not allow any non-destructive dismantling of the antenna module. The installation is furthermore frequently complex and requires the use of tools. They are additionally sometimes of a complicated design.
It is the object of the present disclosure to provide an antenna module improved with regard to the installation at the opening of the vehicle roof.
This object is achieved in accordance with the present disclosure by an antenna module for installation at an opening of a vehicle roof which can be arranged at the opening and which can be latched there via at least one spring element. In accordance with the present disclosure, the fastening of the antenna module to the vehicle roof can in this respect be secured via a locking element which, in its locking position, blocks a resilient backward movement of the spring element from the latched position. The spring element thus not only serves the pre-latching of the antenna module to the vehicle roof, but also fixes the antenna module finally thereto. A release of the antenna module is prevented in this respect via the locking element which blocks the spring path of the spring element and thus secures the latching. The antenna module in accordance with the present disclosure thus allows a particularly simple installation at the opening of the vehicle roof and nevertheless has a simple design.
The locking element can optionally be actuated from the same side from which the antenna module can also be arranged at the opening of the vehicle roof. The final fastening of the antenna module can thus take place from the same side as the pre-latching at the opening so that a particularly simple installation is produced. The construction in accordance with the present disclosure with a locking element which blocks the spring path of the spring element allows such a fastening with a small construction effort.
In a possible embodiment of the present disclosure, the antenna module can be arranged at the opening of the vehicle roof from the vehicle interior. The antenna module can in this respect in particular be inserted into the openings from the inside. In a further, embodiment, the locking element can be actuated from the interior of the vehicle. In this respect, both the arrangement of the antenna module and the actuation of the locking element may take place from the interior of the vehicle. A particularly simple installation is hereby ensured.
A one-handed installation is possible by the pre-latching provided by the spring element on an arrangement at the opening since the antenna module does not have to be held by the installer for the actuation of the locking element, but is rather already provisionally secured in the opening.
The locking element in accordance with the present disclosure can be actuated in a tool-free manner. The locking element can in this respect in particular be able to be actuated by a tool-free displacement and/or rotation. This is also only possible due to the use in accordance with the present disclosure of a locking element which blocks the spring path of the spring element.
The locking element may be releasably fixed to the antenna module in the locking position, for example by latching, by self-locking and/or by clamping. It is hereby prevented that the locking element releases itself in operation and unblocks the locking. If the antenna module is to be dismantled, the locking can, in contrast, also be released again.
The locking of the spring element by the locking element can further be releasable in a non-destructive manner. The locking element may be fixed in its locking position via a latch connection for this purpose which can be released to move the locking element out of its locking position.
The fastening of the antenna module by the spring element can furthermore be releasable in a non-destructive manner. For this purpose, the spring element can be moved out of the latched position against its spring force after the movement of the locking element out of the locking position. For this purpose, the spring element and/or a contact region of the spring element may be accessible from the installation side for which purpose an aperture can be provided at or through the chassis of the antenna module.
The locking of the spring element can be released from the interior of the vehicle by the locking element. The fastening of the antenna module by the spring element can further also be released from the interior of the vehicle. The releasability of the locking element or of the fastening from the interior of the vehicle has the advantage that an outer protective cover of the antennas, which is typically adhesively bonded to the vehicle roof, does not have to be removed to replace the antenna module.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the spring element is preloaded into an intermediate position in which it provisionally secures the antenna module after the arrangement at the opening of the vehicle roof, wherein the spring element is only moved against its spring force by the locking element from this intermediate position into an end position in which it permanently fixes the antenna module to the vehicle roof. This has the advantage that only a relatively small force has to be applied for the insertion of the antenna module into the opening since the spring does not have to be pressed out of its end position for this purpose but rather only has to be pressed out of its intermediate position into an introduction position. The spring element in this respect can establish a clamping connection to the vehicle roof in its end position in which it is pressed by the locking element.
The locking element in accordance with the present disclosure may be movable into the spring path of the spring element to block it. It is hereby ensured that movements of the spring element out of its latched position and in particular out of the end position, in which the spring element permanently fixes the antenna module, are blocked. The locking element is in this respect moved into the spring path in a direction which extends transversely to the direction of the spring movement of the spring element. The force which the locking element exerts on the spring element hereby acts transversely to the direction of movement of the latching element.
The latching element can be movable from an installation position in which it permits a resilient movement of the spring element into its locking position. As long as the locking element is therefore in its installation position, the spring element can be moved and thus allows the pre-latching of the antenna module. In contrast, the spring element is blocked in the locking position of the locking element.
In this respect, in possible embodiments of the present disclosure, the locking element can be arranged displaceably or rotatably at the antenna module. The locking element can therefore in particular be a sliding element and/or an eccentric element.
If an eccentric element is used, it can be rotated by a rotary movement into the locking position in which its eccentric pressure surface presses onto a spring arm of the spring element and thus blocks it and/or moves it into its end position. The eccentric element in this case has a flat point with which it lies on the spring arm in the locking position and is hereby secured in this position in a self-locking manner. The eccentric element can in this respect, for example, be designed as a rotary knob with a cam.
If a sliding element is used, it can be displaceable into the locking position in a direction which extends transversely to the direction of the spring movement of the spring element. The force which the locking element exerts on the spring element hereby acts transversely to the direction of movement of the latching element. The locking element is in this respect fixed in the locking position in a latchable and/or clamping manner.
The locking element can in this respect represent a separate component which is releasably connectable to the antenna module. It is conceivable in this respect that the locking element is only connected to the antenna module after the latching of the antenna module to the vehicle roof. The locking element is, however, already fastened to the antenna element in the installation position.
It is in this respect in particular a releasable fastening of the locking element to the antenna module so that the locking element can be replaced simply. The fastening of the locking element in the installation position in this respect takes place by a pre-latching. The locking element can, however, also be arranged unreleasably at the antenna module and can, for example, be rotatably supported thereat.
The locking element in accordance with the present disclosure can have at least one latching arm with which it can be latched to the antenna module. The latching arm can in this respect provide a pre-latching in the installation position and/or an end latching in the locking position. Two latching arms are in this respect provided at oppositely disposed sides of the locking element. The latch connection can be released by pressing the latching arms together, for example using pliers.
The locking element can in this respect may be pre-latched in an installation position and fixed in its locking position via the latching arm at respective different latching edges of the antenna module. The first latching edge is in this respect arranged at a cap of the antenna module and the second latching edge is arranged at a chassis of the antenna module. The latching arm is releasable from its latching position using a tool to move the latching element back out of the locking position and/or to release the locking element from its installation position at the antenna module.
The spring element in accordance with the present disclosure can have a latching edge with which it engages around a counter-edge in its latched position. In its end position, the spring element in this respect enters into a clamping connection with a counter-edge, for example with the panel of the vehicle roof. The latching edge of the spring element can in this respect in particular be pressed against the counter-edge by the locking element.
The spring element can furthermore have a run-on chamfer which comes into contact with a counter-edge on the pushing of the antenna module into the opening of the vehicle roof and via which the spring element is deflected. The run-on chamfer has a ramp shape for this purpose. The spring element is deflected so far by the run-on chamfer that the latching edge is moved past the counter-edge and springs back there through the spring force into a latched position in which the latching edge engages around the counter-edge.
The spring element in accordance with the present Disclosure does not necessarily have to be a part of the antenna module or be fastened thereto. The spring element can rather also be arranged at the vehicle roof and latch with a counter-edge of the antenna module when it is arranged at the opening of the vehicle roof.
The spring element is, however, arranged at the antenna module and cooperates with a counter-edge of the vehicle roof. The latching edge of the spring element can in this respect in particular engage around a rim of the opening of the vehicle roof. Only a correspondingly shaped opening for the antenna module hereby has to be provided in the vehicle roof, whereas all the elements of the installation apparatus are arranged at the antenna module.
The latching edge engaging around the rim of the opening of the vehicle roof in this respect clamps the panel of the vehicle roof in the end position. For this purpose, the antenna module has a counter-element which cooperates with the latching edge, wherein a slit is provided between the latching edge and the counter-element in which the rim of the opening of the vehicle roof comes to lie on the establishing of the latched connection. On a movement of the spring element into the end position, the height of the slit is in this respect reduced so that a clamping of the vehicle roof is provided.
In accordance with the present disclosure, the spring element can in this respect at least partly comprise spring steel, with the latching edge being formed by a chamfer of the spring steel. A further chamfer of the spring steel provides the run-on chamfer. A contact edge by which the spring element can be released from the latch position can likewise be provided by an angled portion or by a free end of the spring steel. It is a leaf spring in this respect.
A spring arm of the spring element in this respect extends from a fastening region over a U-shaped bent portion to the free end of the spring element in whose region the latching edge is provided. The length of the spring arm is hereby increased.
In the locking position, the locking element is arranged at the side of the spring arm and in particular of the leaf spring disposed opposite the latching edge and hereby blocks the movement of the spring arm out of the latched position. The locking element can in this respect be movable along the spring arm and in particular along the leaf spring into the locking position.
In a possible, embodiment of the present disclosure, the antenna module has a guide along which the locking element is displaceable into the locking position. This allows a particularly simple actuation of the locking element, wherein the locking element is displaceable along the guide by hand.
The guide can in particular be a guide passage in which the locking element is displaceable. The locking element can particularly in this respect be pressed into the guide passage. The guide passage can in this respect have a guide rail or a guide groove which cooperates with a guide groove or a guide rail of the locking element. The movement of the locking element is hereby guided within the guide passage.
In a preferred embodiment, the spring element in this respect extends at a side of the guide passage and is contacted by the locking element in the locking position thereof. The spring element can in this respect in particular have a spring arm which extends at a side of the guide passage.
The locking element is formed by a pusher which is displaceable obliquely to the extent of a spring arm of the spring element in a guide and is thus pressed against the spring arm of the spring element on a displacement into its locking position. The guide can in this respect in particular be formed by a ramp-shaped wall of a guide passage which is disposed opposite the spring arm. Alternatively or additionally, the locking element can have a wedge shape. The locking element is pressed against the spring arm by the pressing of the locking element into the guide passage.
The locking element can also have a run-on chamfer by which it contacts the spring element and presses it into its end position. In this case, the locking element can also be displaceable transversely to the direction of extent of the spring arm of the spring element.
The locking element in accordance with the present disclosure can have an elastic element with which it is supported against the guide passage and/or the spring element to achieve a wobble-free seat of the locking element in the installation position. The elastic element can, for example, be a spring arm of the locking element which is in contact with a wall of the guide passage and/or with the spring element in the installation position and hereby avoids a wobbling of the spring element in the installation position.
The locking element in accordance with the present disclosure can cooperate with a counter-element in a possible embodiment to fix the spring element in a fixed position. The locking element in this respect, if it is moved into its locking position, presses the spring element against the counter-element so that the spring element is pressed between the locking element and the counter-element in the locking position of the locking element. The spring element in this position is in its end position in which its permanently fixes the antenna module to the vehicle roof. This simultaneously provides a certain clamping of the locking element in the locking position.
In a possible embodiment of the present disclosure, a plurality of spring elements in accordance with the present disclosure can be provided which allow a pre-latching of the antenna module to the vehicle roof and can be locked via a common locking element or via respective locking elements provided separately. Such a plurality of spring elements in accordance with the present disclosure are in this respect arranged at the antenna module.
It is furthermore possible in accordance with the present disclosure that, in addition to the spring element in accordance with the present disclosure, further latching elements are provided which are, however, not blockable. They then only serve a pre-latching of the antenna module to the vehicle roof.
In a possible embodiment of the present disclosure, the antenna module can in this respect be pushed into the opening of the vehicle roof and can be latched there, at least two spring elements in accordance with the present disclosure being provided by whose blocking the antenna module is then finally fixed to the vehicle roof.
In a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, the antenna module in contrast comprises at least one holding element which engages around a rim of the opening of the vehicle roof. This holding element in this respect, together with the spring element in accordance with the present disclosure, allows a secure fastening of the antenna module to the opening of the vehicle roof. The holding element at the antenna module is arranged at the side disposed opposite the spring element with respect to the opening so that the holding element and the spring element fasten the antenna module to the opening at oppositely disposed sides thereof.
The holding element can be of a rigid design in this respect. The holding element can in this respect have an edge by which it can be laterally pushed onto a rim of the opening of the vehicle roof. The installation of the antenna module can in this respect in particular take place in that the antenna module with the holding element is first pushed onto a rim of the opening of the vehicle roof and is then pushed by a pivot movement about the fixing presented by the holding element into the opening until the spring element latches in and provisionally secures the antenna module.
A ramp can in this respect be associated with the edge formed by the holding element so that the edge of the vehicle roof is clampingly fixed by the pushing on. Alternatively or additionally, the ramp can allow a pivot movement of the antenna module about the fixing presented by the holding element.
The antenna module in accordance with the present disclosure has a chassis which carries one or more antennas at its upper side. The chassis can in this respect in particular consist of metal or can at least comprise a metallic layer. The chassis is arranged with a peripheral region beneath or on the vehicle roof after the fastening of the antenna module, depending on whether the installation takes place from the interior of the vehicle or from the outside. If the chassis is composed of metal or if it has a metallic layer, an electrically conductive plane is hereby also given in the region of the opening of the vehicle roof
The chassis can have a base region with which it passes through the opening in the vehicle roof. A secure fitting of the chassis into the opening is hereby ensured. One or more antennas are arranged on this base region.
The chassis can have coupling elements in its peripheral region via which it is electrically coupled to the vehicle roof. The coupling elements are flexible in this respect to ensure a good coupling to the vehicle roof. The coupling in this respect takes place capacitively. The coupling elements are arranged between the upper side or lower side of the chassis and the vehicle roof after the fastening of the antenna module. Alternatively, a galvanic contact would be possible, for example via cutting teeth which cut into the panel of the vehicle roof and thus establish a galvanic connection.
The antenna module can furthermore have a cover for the one or more antennas fastenable to the upper side of the chassis. The cover thus protects the antennas from damage.
The chassis can furthermore have a cap which closes it downwardly.
The cover and/or the cap are produced from plastic.
The antenna module has at least one cellular radio antenna. Alternatively or additionally, an antenna can be provided via which the signal of a radio key for the vehicle locking can be received. Alternatively or additionally, an antenna for the reception of radio programs can be provided. Further alternatively or additionally, a reception antenna for a global positioning system can be provided, for example a GPS receiver. The antennas can in this respect be perpendicular on the chassis plane or can be arranged horizontally thereto. Cellular radio antennas and antennas for the radio key are in this respect typically arranged perpendicular; radio antennas or positioning antennas, in contrast, in parallel with the chassis surface.
Antennas can furthermore also be provided at the lower side of the chassis or within the box formed by the chassis and the cap, for example to provide a WLAN connection within the vehicle or for a radio key.
The antenna module has a mainboard which is arranged beneath the upper side of the chassis and is connected to the antennas arranged at the upper side of the chassis through apertures in the chassis.
The antenna module can furthermore comprises connection elements for connection to the vehicle electronics, in particular data plug-in connections for digital services and/or coaxial plug-in connections. The plug-in connections are in this respect arranged laterally at the chassis to reduce the construction height.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, the locking element is arranged displaceably in the antenna module transverse to the plane of extent of the vehicle roof and/or transverse to the main plane of a housing of the antenna module. The locking element can in this respect in particular be pressed into its locking position by being pressed into the antenna module or into the housing of the antenna module. The chassis and the cap in this respect form the housing of the antenna module.
In this respect, a guide passage for the locking element is provided which passes through the antenna module or the housing of the antenna module from the bottom to the top. The spring element can also be reached via this guide passage in order to move it out of its latched position and thus to release the connection of the antenna module to the vehicle roof
In this respect, the spring element can have a contact edge via which it can, for example, be contacted via a screwdriver with shape matching to be moved out of the latched position in order to release the antenna module from the vehicle roof. The contact edge is in this respect accessible via the guide passage. The securing element can be removed from the guide passage for this purpose. The contact edge can in this respect be formed, for example, by the free end of the spring element produced from spring steel.
The spring element can furthermore extend over a side of the guide passage. Provision can be made in this respect that a spring arm of the spring element extends within the antenna module and the latching edge and run-on chamfer of the spring element project out of the upper side or lower side of the antenna module or of the housing.
The guide passage which passes through the antenna module from bottom to top is formed at the cap and/or chassis. The guide passage is in this respect open both toward the top and toward the bottom. The locking element can in this respect be introduced or displaced from the bottom. The upper opening of the guide passage allows an access to the contact edge of the locking element.
In accordance with the present disclosure, at least one holding element can furthermore be provided both at the chassis and at the cover, said holding elements engaging around a rim of the opening of the vehicle roof. They are in this respect holding elements as already described above. The holding element at the chassis can in this respect be configured as a metallic hook; the holding element at the cover, in contrast, as a plastic hook or plastic edge. The holding element at the chassis is held out of contact with the vehicle roof by the holding element at the cover. It is hereby prevented that the holding element at the chassis scratches the paintwork of the vehicle roof. If, however, the holding element of the cover breaks, the holding element of the chassis provides a secure fastening of the antenna module to the vehicle roof. A ramp which is associated with the holding element can furthermore be provided at the cover. The ramp in this respect together with the holding element produces a clamping of the vehicle roof. The ramp can furthermore be designed such that it allows a pivoting of the antenna module into the opening. The ramp additionally simplifies the correct pushing of the holding element onto the margin of the vehicle roof.
In addition to the antenna module in accordance with the present disclosure, the present disclosure furthermore comprises a method of installing an antenna module.
The method in accordance with the present disclosure of installing an antenna module at an opening of a vehicle roof provides that the antenna module is inserted into the opening and is latched via at least one spring element there. In this respect, after the latching of the spring element, a locking element is moved into a locking position in which it blocks a resilient backward movement of the spring element from its latched position.
The spring element is in this respect moved from an intermediate position in which it provisionally secures the antenna module at the vehicle roof into an end position in which it permanently fixes the antenna module. The spring element clamps the automobile roof in this end position.
The antenna module is in this respect installed from the vehicle interior, with the locking element also being actuated from the vehicle interior. The installation of the antenna module and in particular the locking of the spring element in this respect take place in a tool-free manner.
The method in accordance with the present disclosure in this respect takes place as already shown in more detail above. An antenna module such as described above is furthermore used for the method. The spring element and the locking element can in this respect in particular be designed as already described above.
The present disclosure furthermore comprises a vehicle having a vehicle roof and an antenna module, such as already described above, attached to an opening of the vehicle roof.
The present disclosure will now be presented in more detail with reference to an embodiment and to a drawing.